Photo By Gail

Francis Picabia originally made the features of the pink-faced man featured in The Handsome Pork-Butcher (1924–35) with collaged elements. He used a range of items, including string, measuring tape, and curtain rings. Some years later, he then ripped these items off the canvas — an action that also removed areas of paint, leaving patches of bare canvas visible. During the second phase of the work, Picabia added combs for the hair, and painted in the head and hands of a woman. These dramatic changes reflect his humorous and lighthearted approach to picture-making. By using household objects, the artist’s aim was to merge art with every day life.

Photographed in the Tate Modern Museum in London.